Substrate treatment method and substrate treatment device

Abstract

A substrate processing method processes a substrate. The substrate has a major surface including a concave-portion forming surface that forms a concave portion. A to-be-removed layer is formed in the concave portion. The substrate processing method includes an etching step of supplying an etching liquid that contains etching ions to the major surface of the substrate to etch the to-be-removed layer, a concentrating step of concentrating the etching liquid on the major surface of the substrate, a hydrophilizing step of hydrophilizing the concave-portion forming surface exposed by concentrating the etching liquid, an ion diffusing step of diffusing the etching ions into a rinsing liquid by supplying the rinsing liquid to the major surface of the substrate after the hydrophilizing step, and a rinsing liquid removing step of removing the rinsing liquid from the major surface of the substrate.

The invention claimed is: 
     
         1 . A substrate processing method for processing a substrate, the substrate having a major surface including a concave-portion forming surface that forms a concave portion, the substrate having a to-be-removed layer formed in the concave portion, the substrate processing method comprising:
 supplying an etching liquid that contains etching ions to the major surface of the substrate to etch the to-be-removed layer;   concentrating the etching liquid on the major surface of the substrate;   hydrophilizing the concave-portion forming surface exposed by concentrating the etching liquid;   diffusing the etching ions into a rinsing liquid by supplying the rinsing liquid to the major surface of the substrate after hydrophilizing the concave-portion forming surface; and   removing the rinsing liquid from the major surface of the substrate.   
     
     
         2 . The substrate processing method according to  claim 1 , wherein a width of the concave portion is 5 nm or less. 
     
     
         3 . The substrate processing method according to  claim 1 , wherein the to-be-removed layer is a metal layer. 
     
     
         4 . The substrate processing method according to  claim 1 , wherein diffusing the etching ions into the rinsing liquid includes diffusing the etching ions into the rinsing liquid by use of an ionic concentration gradient generated by bringing the rinsing liquid and the etching liquid into contact with each other in the concave portion. 
     
     
         5 . The substrate processing method according to  claim 1 , wherein, after removing the rinsing liquid from the major surface of the substrate, diffusing the etching ions into the rinsing liquid and removing the rinsing liquid from the major surface of the substrate are each performed repeatedly at least once. 
     
     
         6 . The substrate processing method according to  claim 1 , wherein the hydrophilizing includes oxidizing the concave-portion forming surface. 
     
     
         7 . The substrate processing method according to  claim 6 , wherein the oxidation includes supplying a liquid oxidant to the major surface of the substrate. 
     
     
         8 . The substrate processing method according to  claim 7 , further comprising removing the liquid oxidant supplied to the major surface of the substrate from the major surface of the substrate before diffusing the etching ions into the rinsing liquid. 
     
     
         9 . The substrate processing method according to  claim 6 , wherein the oxidation includes performing at least either one of supply of a gaseous oxidant to the major surface of the substrate and irradiation of light to the major surface of the substrate. 
     
     
         10 . The substrate processing method according to  claim 1 , wherein the concentrating includes drying the major surface of the substrate. 
     
     
         11 . The substrate processing method according to  claim 10 , wherein the etching includes discharging the etching liquid from an etching liquid nozzle to the major surface of the substrate held by a substrate holder and supplying the etching liquid to the major surface of the substrate, and
 wherein the drying includes rotating the substrate by rotating the substrate holder around a rotational axis that passes through a central portion of the major surface of the substrate and that perpendicularly intersects the major surface of the substrate to evaporate a solvent component contained in the etching liquid from the major surface of the substrate.   
     
     
         12 . The substrate processing method according to  claim 10 , wherein the drying includes evaporating a solvent component contained in the etching liquid from the major surface of the substrate by decompressing a space contiguous to the major surface of the substrate. 
     
     
         13 . A substrate processing apparatus that processes a substrate, the substrate having a major surface including a concave-portion forming surface that forms a concave portion, the substrate having a to-be-removed layer formed in the concave portion, the substrate processing apparatus comprising:
 an etching-liquid nozzle that supplies an etching liquid containing etching ions and etching the to-be-removed layer to the major surface of the substrate;   an etching-liquid concentrator that concentrates the etching liquid on the major surface of the substrate;   a hydrophilizer that hydrophilizes the concave-portion forming surface exposed by concentrating the etching liquid;   a rinsing-liquid nozzle that supplies a rinsing liquid that diffuses the etching ions into the rinsing liquid to the major surface of the substrate;   a rinsing-liquid remover that removes the rinsing liquid from the major surface of the substrate; and   a controller configured to execute the substrate processing method according to  claim 1 .